Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-06-03
LIFE AMONG THE SIOUX.
SOME INDIAN TRAITS DESCRIBED
BYA WHITE TEACHER.

Indian Hardihood.
Frank E. Lewis, WHO'S teaching school
in Sioux Indian settlement in Dakota,
describes some of the aboriginal traits
in the Chicago Current. He says.
The women wear usually two rings il
each ear: the men one small brass ring
only, without pendants. The women's
earrings may be of pewter, brass or silver,
with such pendants as seem to the wearer
most ornamental. Their hair is seldom
long, scarcely reaching below the
shoulders, and is worn in two plaits, one
behind each ear. With the men the hair
often reaches to the waist, and is plated
in two tails at the ears and third di-
rectly at the back or "topknot" of the
head. The parting of the hair begins in
front, in the middle, runs straight back
to the ''topknot," around which it forms
a perfect circle, and continues down to
the back of the neck. To the ''topknot"
pigtail is usually tied string of long
white and small brass beads. The two
carplaits are frequently bound up with
beavers fur or red or yellow flannel, and
worn in front on the breast. When
dressed in their most approved style the
raven locks lie smooth to hair and
glisten with OIL while the parting is
painted with a narrow streak of YER
million.
In their custom of painting the face,
the desire for ornamentation seems to be
their principal motive, though there are
occasions when it has special significance
The most curious specimen of this
decoration | have yet seen, was man
who had drawn narrow streak of
vermllion from the top Of the ears acress
the temples and eyelids, just above the
eyclnshcs, meeting on the nose and ending
in an upstroke between the eyebrows.
In clothing, the men are fast adopting
civilized garb, when obtainable, in cold
weather, but on the slightest return of
warmth, breeChClout and leggings are
again donned. The women wear gowns
OF calico, which are sewn ON them in the
making but can be removed when made.
They are hardly more than bags with
holes for head and arms and flowing
sleeves, with a cord or belt around the
waist. Tight-titting leggings of flannel
reaching the knee complete the costumes
Of the women, never forgetting the
shawl.
The Indians have long been glieved
to be particularly cluel in their treat
mcnt of their children. This is so
universally the exception that I cannot
forbear calling attention to it. 1t must
first he remembered that an Indians
marriage is purely matter of business.
Yet the father is so much in love with
his children that it is the first thing
noted by stranger seeing them together.
The confidence and attachment of the
Indian father and son could be
advantageonsly initiated by many
civilized families.
No traditional custom of the Indian is
so fast disappearing as that of allowing
the women to do all the work. Even
yet were women to ride and her lord
to walk on a journey, her companions
would scof and rail at her as one who
had cast degradation on so noble a
creature as an Indian warrior. As arule,
however, the matter is now compromised
by both riding.
One peculiar feature of the Indian
constitution is its ability to endure either
extreme heat or cold | have seen men
in deep mourning costume entirely of
white-walk mile or more dressed only
in cotton shirt, breech clout and leg
gings, and sheet as a blanket in the
most intense cold. Or the same man,
perhaps, will sit all evening within three
feet of hot stove with Overcoat and
blanket close about him as when out of
doors. In the most intense heat or cold
they leave camp for the agency on horse
back or in wagons, with little or no hope
of reaching warm fire or a sheltered
spot until their trip of hundred miles
is finished. Yet neither wind nor
weather ever prevents a journey.
In many Of their houses curious speci
mems of workmanship, principally needle
work, can be seen. Deer and antelope
skins are the principal articles decorated
Beads, tin, painted and brilliantly dyed,
and curiously made tassels are the usual
ornaments. Their beadwork though not
as curious as that done by civilized
women, is curious in that it is s -vn on
in strands, fastened at the ends only.
The amount of counting necessary to oD-
tain the regular forms and distances of
their work seems immense With paint
they excel only in straight lines or COM
plete circles, yet they turn out many an
artistically decorated robe or deer skin.
Much of the beadwork on the moccasins
is artistic not only because of the reg,l-
larity with which the figures are placed,
but because of the general harmony OF
the colors employed and the striking
contrasts. Their work with thread and
needle on cloth is of the crudest sort, and
for lack of instruction they turn out
many a rudely-sewn gown or pair OF
legginos.